Blueberry Crumb Cake

Quick, while blueberries are still in season, make this cake!  The recipe caught my eye on The Smitten Kitchen blog, and with some friends coming over for dinner last night, I had an excuse to try it out.  It was really delicious--both for dessert last night and for breakfast this morning.  I don't know how it would be made with frozen blueberries, but I might be tempted mid-winter. . .

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

adapted from http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/07/blueberry-crumb-cake/

serves 8

Topping

5 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 t. cinnamon

4 T. unsalted butter, cold

pinch of salt

Cake

2 cups minus 1 T. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

4 T. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 large egg

1 t. vanilla

1 pint fresh blueberries (2 to 2-2/3 cups), clean and dry

1/2 cup milk (skim is fine; original recipe calls for whole)

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped medium fine (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Butter an 8" square baking pan and dust lightly with flour.

Prepare topping: 

Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

Prepare cake: 

Sift into a medium bowl the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, starting and ending with 1/3 of the dry mixture.  The batter will be quite stiff.   Fold blueberries into the cake batter.

Spoon cake batter into prepared pan and smooth so that it is flat.  If using walnuts, scatter them on top.  Sprinkle with the prepared streusel.

Bake in 375 oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out batter-free.  Cool in the pan on a cooling rack.

Cake keeps for 3 days at room temperature if covered with plastic or foil.